NFC West Champs 2014 mock draft

[laramsoriginal]

Lets start with cutting Dhal, wells, Finnegan
Let Dunbar walk
Resign G Saffold
Sign G Richie Incognito

trades:

#1 Trade with Cleveland for their 4th overall pick, 2nd round pick in 2014 and 2015.

#2 rams trade 4th overall to Detroit for their 10th pick plus 2nd round pick.

#3 Trade 13th pick to Packers for their 21st pick and 2nd round pick, 3rd round in 2015.

Trades helped the rams acquire a 2nd and a 3rd for 2015 draft.

Draft 2014:

10th pick: CB Dennard MSU
Adding the premier cb in the draft would instantly improve a rams secondary that struggled playing tight coverage in 2013.

21st pick: S Pryor UL
Pryor has the size and speed to start at FS for the rams as a rookie. Seattle's secondary dominated Denver's offense and the rams can field a similar unit by the addition of Dennard and Pryor.

2nd round: DT Donald Pitt
The rams continue to give new DC Williams the players to help dominate offenses. Donald would be a rotating DT creating havoc with his amazing quick burst.

2nd round: SLB Van Noy BYU
He will get first shot at taking over for Dunbar. Van Noy has the ability to add athletic ability to the SLB position.

2nd round: OT/OG Mewhort OSU
Mewhort has experience playing OG and OT and would bring quality depth to the Rams OL. If Barksdale asks for a big pay day after the 2014 season, Mewhort has the ability to start at RT and play very well.

3rd Round: ILB/ OLB Skov Stanford
A tough player that would give the rams depth at ILB and possible replacement for JL in the near future.

3rd round: WR Coleman Rutgers
A big target with athletic ability to do some damage in the nfl. He needs time to develop and work on staying healthy.

4th round: RB Thomas ORE
Can return kicks and punts. Premier athlete but limited size. If the rams can use him right, along with Tavon Austin, rams would be adding some major speed to the offense.

5th round: QB McCarron Bama
Developmental QB. Great locker room guy that has proven to be a clutch performer.

 

[laramsoriginal]

The rams would be adding some major talent to the CB, FS, DT, OLB positions in addition to adding 3 guys that can develop into something very nice.

Skov can battle with Van Noy for the starting SLB spot as rookies.
OT Mewhort can add depth at OT and OG. Possibly be the starting RT in 2015 if Joe asks for a big pay day.
The black Mamba Thomas might be the best athlete in the entire draft. Rams can risk picking him in the 4th round.

I believe the rams are not far away from competing for the nfcw. Fisher/Snead will give new DC Williams some major talent with the proposed draft.

 

[jrry32]

Who are the Lions trading up for? I don't think Skov has the speed and range to play 4-3 MLB. Seems like a 4-3 SLB to me. IMO, Chris Borland makes more sense there if we're trying to replace Laurinaitis. I like the Mewhort and Donald picks as well as Van Noy. I strongly dislike Brandon Coleman. DeAnthony Thomas would be an interesting pick but I'd still be concerned with who would step in if Stacy got hurt. We both know how much I like Donald and him being there in the 2nd is possible.

 

[laramsoriginal]

Who are the Lions trading up for? I don't think Skov has the speed and range to play 4-3 MLB. Seems like a 4-3 SLB to me. IMO, Chris Borland makes more sense there if we're trying to replace Laurinaitis. I like the Mewhort and Donald picks as well as Van Noy. I strongly dislike Brandon Coleman. DeAnthony Thomas would be an interesting pick but I'd still be concerned with who would step in if Stacy got hurt. We both know how much I like Donald and him being there in the 2nd is possible.

Lions need another WR so in the likely event that Watkins is available, Lions would be willing to jump up and grab him at #4.

It might be a good idea to draft a WR with good potential but needs a season or two to develop. Coleman has the potential, its worth to roll the dice. I expect Quick, Steadman, Austin, Givins to produce this year so I'm not too worried about adding a WR that is ready to contribute come training camp.

ILB/OLB SKov has the toughness to play ILB/SLB. In 3rd down situations he would be coming off the field anyways to make room for a nickel db.
Dennard and Pryor would be such a huge upgrade in the secondary, I really hope the Rams add those two premier players. As you know jrry, I think the rams have 2 average CB's so there is need to draft a CB high

 

[fearsomefour]

I like your top four picks for both need and talent but I think both Donald and Van Noy are going in the first round.

 

[PressureD41]

I like the players you selected, but we need some OL in early rds IMHO.

 

[jjab360]

I like the players you selected, but we need some OL in early rds IMHO.

The 2nd round isn't an early round?

 

[laramsoriginal]

With the addition of Richie to fill the LG spot and Saffold filling the RG spot, rams would need quality depth and Mewhort provides that. He can start at RT and OG if needed.

I might replace 3rd round pick wr Coleman for a OG.

 

[ausmurp]

I like it, however unlikely it is seeing as our offense still has not made it to the top 16 in the NFL (since 2007?), and our defense has surpassed that the past two seasons, indicating the obvious gaping hole we have in offensive talent. We will draft offense early. I know a lot of rams fans seem to cling to the defense over and over again, but guys, please read the first line again. We will never win enough to make the playoffs with such an odd balance - defense in top 16 and offense ranked 20th or worse every year. We need balance and to do that we need progression and more talent. I know Fisher never drafts OL in 1st rd but I think he breaks that trend this yr. I'm guessing the first 4 or 5 picks will be about even in relation to offensive and defensive players...

 

[ausmurp]

I like it, however unlikely it is seeing as our offense still has not made it to the top 16 in the NFL (since 2007?), and our defense has surpassed that the past two seasons, indicating the obvious gaping hole we have in offensive talent. We will draft offense early. I know a lot of rams fans seem to cling to the defense over and over again, but guys, please read the first line again. We will never win enough to make the playoffs with such an odd balance - defense in top 16 and offense ranked 20th or worse every year. We need balance and to do that we need progression and more talent. I know Fisher never drafts OL in 1st rd but I think he breaks that trend this yr. I'm guessing the first 4 or 5 picks will be about even in relation to offensive and defensive players...

This is actually really funny, it makes me lol every time. Every fan mock I've seen save Jrry's mocks, have us drafting way more defensive players than offensive, which actually hasn't happened in a while for our team - we always seem to balance it out or take more offense even as of late. So mabye people should think about that when they mock, because that will help the mocks to be more realistic. Just sayin...

 

[PressureD41]

With the addition of Richie to fill the LG spot and Saffold filling the RG spot, rams would need quality depth and Mewhort provides that. He can start at RT and OG if needed.

I might replace 3rd round pick wr Coleman for a OG.

I think it best to walk away from Saffold he is only averaging 9 games per season. So imho he's not worth north of 5.5m (he will get more more $). Just take his 6 or 7mil and target another interior OL. Prehaps OC Mack from Cleveland. This off season is important so lets not get emotional over injury-plagued type players. We got to make sure we spend wisely w/ the limited dollars moving fwd

 

[laramsoriginal]

I think it best to walk away from Saffold he is only averaging 9 games per season. So imho he's not worth north of 5.5m (he will get more more $). Just take his 6 or 7mil and target another interior OL. Prehaps OC Mack from Cleveland. This off season is important so lets not get emotional over injury-plagued type players. We got to make sure we spend wisely w/ the limited dollars moving fwd

I agree but since the rams already have a major hole at LG letting Saffold walk then creates 2 big holes at G. Adding a center would still not solve the problems at G.

I would let B.Jones take over the OC duties. Sign Richie for cheap, resign Saffold, then draft a OG in the 2nd round plus at combo OG/OT in the 3rd round

 

[laramsoriginal]

I like it, however unlikely it is seeing as our offense still has not made it to the top 16 in the NFL (since 2007?), and our defense has surpassed that the past two seasons, indicating the obvious gaping hole we have in offensive talent. We will draft offense early. I know a lot of rams fans seem to cling to the defense over and over again, but guys, please read the first line again. We will never win enough to make the playoffs with such an odd balance - defense in top 16 and offense ranked 20th or worse every year. We need balance and to do that we need progression and more talent. I know Fisher never drafts OL in 1st rd but I think he breaks that trend this yr. I'm guessing the first 4 or 5 picks will be about even in relation to offensive and defensive players...

If Bradford wouldn't of gotten hurt I think the rams offense would have been much better.

It seems the rams are willing to let the young wr's develop so I doubt they draft wr in the first round
Rams are not drafting a RB in the first round
Rams are not drafting a QB in the first round
Rams might draft a OT in the first round
I doubt the rams draft a TE in the first round

For value and need, the rams should draft a CB with their first pick after they have traded down.I just think the rams need more help in the secondary than at WR. OL problems can be fixed with 2nd round picks (OG).

 

[PressureD41]

I agree but since the rams already have a major hole at LG letting Saffold walk then creates 2 big holes at G. Adding a center would still not solve the problems at G.

I would let B.Jones take over the OC duties. Sign Richie for cheap, resign Saffold, then draft a OG in the 2nd round plus at combo OG/OT in the 3rd

Richie & Saffold play the same position ROG.

 

[ausmurp]

If Bradford wouldn't of gotten hurt I think the rams offense would have been much better.

It seems the rams are willing to let the young wr's develop so I doubt they draft wr in the first round
Rams are not drafting a RB in the first round
Rams are not drafting a QB in the first round
Rams might draft a OT in the first round
I doubt the rams draft a TE in the first round

For value and need, the rams should draft a CB with their first pick after they have traded down.I just think the rams need more help in the secondary than at WR. OL problems can be fixed with 2nd round picks (OG).

Actually even when Bradford was healthy, our offense was ranked in the 20s. He was having a good season, but our offense was still struggling. Of course Stacy didn't come on until right around the injury, so that could be taken into account.
I wouldn't count us out on drafting a HB in the 1st rd.
You're right we aren't drafting a QB.
We will probably draft OL in the 1st and or 2nd rd.
I wouldn't count us out on drafting a TE in the 1st or 2nd rd.

All I'm saying is in the first 4 rds, we'll probably draft at least half offense, and half defense. Of course this is all speculation, but some of it can be educated guess. (Not to toot my own horn, if anyone else said it first I'd say the same) What I said makes perfect sense from an educated guess stand point. Our defense has been better than top 16 the past 2 yrs. Our offense has not been better than 22nd I don't think, the past 7 or 8 yrs now. I would think this is absolutely a fact all NFL coaches look at and use to help them draft. And I'm not trying to put you down either, I love what you did there. We could have a Seahawk like defense with those players, then perhaps our offense doesn't matter lol.

But realistically speaking, it seems about half of Rams fans and almost all media professionals, have the Rams taking either WR or OL (or both) in the 1st rd. I do mock guess drafts every yr and one thing I've noticed is, when majority thinks that way, it is probably what is going to happen.

 

[ausmurp]

Oh and I forgot to comment on the young WR develop comment, my bad. There is no way to know this, but based on us trading up and drafting Tavon last year, it seems at least to me the staff is more or less thinking if there is better talent we can get from the draft than what we currently have on roster, we are going to take that talent, no question. So I wouldn't be surprised if we trade down a bit, and then take OL Matthews and then the BPA WR of Watkins, Evans, Bejamin. This is what most draft pros have us doing and even if I don't want us to do it, they're probably right on. Then we get our safety in the 2nd...

 

[jrry32]

Richie & Saffold play the same position ROG.

Richie played LG in Miami.

 

[-X-]

Richie played LG in Miami.

... and in the Pro Bowl

 

[PressureD41]

Okay thanks, my bad. I would be pro-Ritchie by the way